You get the feeling that if this happened under a non mainstream religion, or in a different country, these people would have been locked up for being dangerous religious 'kooks', and their children taken into care for their safety.

Story from the Guardian, 'Parents given jail terms for relying on prayers to save dying daughter'

Overheard in my shower*

L: G said Mary Magdalene was a prostitute.
L: But she was Jesus’ wife
Me : This is only important if you believe the bible is more than just a really crap story

(some background, L has been reading The Da Vinci Code)
...

L: M said feminism is sexist because some group of radical feminist lesbians in the 80s wanted to use IVF to have children, so they didn’t need men at all.
L: I told him based on that logic all Muslims must be terrorists – you can’t judge whole groups of people by the actions of a tiny extreme minority.
Me: God you are totally hot right now.


* well, it could’ve been if someone was listening

Money matters

As much glee as I do feel about the atheist bus campaign raising so much so fast to fund advertising that counters religious propaganda such as the Alpha Course, it is a shame that the fervour generated here can't be replicated for other drastically underfunded causes.

I think the visibility of the Christian advertising chaffed at a lot of people, and by the very nature of outdoor advertising it was in their faces and unavoidable whenever they stepped outside, so ignited a reaction.

There are plenty of other causes that are in desperate need of support - domestic violence support and rape crisis centres are just two examples - but they are out of sight of the general population and out of mind.

Atheist advertising

Hold on to your hats because the first ever atheist advertising campaign is coming to London in January 2009!

The Guardian featured an article about it this morning encouraging donations from supportive atheists, and by 10ish they had received enough donations to secure the bus! By the time I looked at the fundraising page they were on £64K (update 30 mins later, £65k!)!!11!!!

Turns out atheists give generously and I love exclamation marks.

Ace.